Goddess | Natasha Romanoff

Chapter 2: On Your Left

Steve gets his small notebook and pen out and notes it down on his list which also includes: I Love Lucy (Television); Moon Landing; Berlin Wall (Up + Down) Steve Jobs (Apple); Disco; Thai Food; Star Wars/Trek Nirvana (Band); Rocky (Rocky II?) Star Wars is crossed out indicating he has seen it.

Aloisia approaches the duo after another few laps. Holding out a hand "Aloisia" she offers smiling. Sam slowly raises a hand.

"Sam Wilson" he takes her open hand and shakes it. Al can tell he wants to ask about her but decides against it. Aloisia appreciates the respect and decides if she ever saw him again she would explain

Steve and Al both get a text message: "Mission alert. Extraction imminent. Meet at the curb. :)

"Alright, Sam, duty calls. Thanks for the run. If that's what you wanna call running" the two shake hands once again

"Oh, that's how it is?" Sam replies, cheekily smiling

"Oh, that's how it is" Steve replies, Al smiles at the pair. She likes this playful side of Steve.

Sam laughs "Okay. Any time you wanna stop by the VA, make me look awesome in front of the girl at the front desk, just let me know."

"I'll keep it in mind"

"Okay, I'm single by the way" he replies, looking in Al's direction

"Sorry, not interested. Im sure you have plenty of others admiring you anyway" Al replies politely turning him down, giving him a wink.

Sam smiles at her. "If you say so"

Natasha pulls up in her car by the curb and rolls down the window. Aloisia grins at the woman, waving happily.

"Hey, fellas. Either one of you know where the Smithsonian is? I'm here to pick up a fossil" Nat offers, Aloisia chuckles

"That's hilarious" Steve walks over to her car and gets in, Sam gives Natasha and her car an appreciative look. Aloisia begrudgingly gets in the back as Steve beat her to the front.

"How you doing?" Sam asks

"Hey" Nat grins

"Can't run everywhere" Steve smiles

"No, you can't" Sam's smile remains as he watches Natasha quickly pull away, driving off.

"You two have fun on your run?" Nat asks smiling as she drives

"Steve made fun of that man and teased him every time we lapped him, yeah it was fun" Al smiles, Natasha reciprocates, glancing at Aloisia in the rear view mirror of the car.

——— . ———

The group arrive at SHIELD and are rushed into a jet, barely having enough time to change into their combat outfits. Aloisia wears her usual suit with her combat gloves on, hood pulled down and mask around her neck. Natasha wears her usual suit and Steve has his usual Stars and Stripes. They stand on the jet as they are debrief, flying over the Indian Ocean they are with SHIELD agents, led by Brock Rumlow.

"The target is a mobile satellite launch platform: The Lemurian Star. They were sending up their last payload when pirates took them, 93 minutes ago" Rumlow announces

"Any demands?" Steve asks

"A billion and a half"

"Fantastic" Aloisia comments sarcastically, standing next to Natasha. A small knife flips fluidly around Aloisia fingers as she fiddles with it. An item so dangerous used in a way that looks so beautiful. Aloisia finds herself looking at Natasha instead of Rumlow, her eyes drifting away from the man who irritates her greatly and towards the woman that always makes her blush.

"Why so steep?" Steve asks

"Because it SHIELD's" Rumlow replies

"So it's not off-course, it's trespassing" Steve mutters, Aloisias eyes are forced to travel away from Natasha and towards Steve and the screen displaying the ships layout

"I'm sure they have a good reason" Natasha offers

"You know, I'm getting a little tired of being Fury's janitor"

"Relax, it's not that complicated" Nat justifies

"We've been reduced to a clean up crew Nat. We are all a very professionally trained group, America's hero turned into a personal cleaner with his gang of assistants" Aloisia says, Steve smiles in her direction

"How many pirates?" He asks

"Twenty-five, top mercs, led by this guy. Georges Batroc" Rumlow shows them a photo of Batroc on the monitor.

"Ex-DGSE, Action Division. He's at the top of Interpol's Red Notice. Before the French demobilized him, he had thirty-six kill missions. This guy's got a rep for maximum casualties" he says

"Hostages?" Steve asks

"Uh...mostly techs. One officer, Jasper Sitwel" He pulls up Sitwell's photo on the monitor. "They're in the galley"

"What's Sitwell doing on a launch ship? Alright, I'm gonna sweep the deck and find Batroc. 0Al follow around, watch my six and assist anyone who needs help. Nat, you'll kill the engines and wait for instructions. Rumlow, you sweep aft, find the hostages, get them to the life-pods, get 'em out. Let's move"

"STRIKE, you heard the Cap. Gear up" Rumlow announces, everyone gets ready to leave the jet, putting coms in their ears.

Steve talks into his wrist communicator "Secure channel seven" he checks

"Seven secure. Did you do anything fun Saturday night?" Natasha asks

"Well, all the guys from my barbershop quartet are dead, so... No, not really" Steve says, smiling slyly

"You gotta put yourself our there cap, you're gonna become rusty" Aloisia says, Natasha laughs

A pilot speaks on the radio "Coming up by the drop zone, Cap"

"You know, if you ask Kristen out, from Statistics, she'd probably say yes" Nat says, Aloisia nods, knowing how nat is on about

"That's why I don't ask" Aloisia laughs at his response

"Too shy or too scared?"

"Too busy!" Steve exclaims jumps out of the jet, Aloisia following shortly behind

"Were they wearing parachutes?" An agent asks

Rumlow whistles "No. No, they were not"